Rabbit Free Phillip Island

Media Release: June 2021

​

Field day to help residents rabbit proof their home

​

Residents and landowners will learn how to rabbit proof homes and protect rare and endangered plants at the Rabbit Free Phillip Island field day on Sunday, 18 July at Surf Beach.

Gayle Seddon, Coordinator of Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Coastcare Group says, “we are providing a free warren fumigation service and fence wire to help Surf Beach and Sunderland Bay residents rabbit proof their homes.”

“Residents will also be able to see the rabbit exclusion zones we’ve set up on the reserve to see how the native vegetation restores itself and plans for a rabbit proof fence to further protect the area.” 

“We hope locals will join us in the quest for a Rabbit Free Phillip Island. Rabbit proofing homes is a first line of defence against rabbits that are ravaging Surf Beach Nature Reserve,” she says.

“The reserve used to be blanketed with beautiful pink Trigger Plants and crimson Running Postman  but they have been targeted by rabbits to the point of elimination. If nothing is done these species are likely to become locally extinct,” said Gayle. 

Since their introduction to Phillip Island in the late 1850s, rabbits have increased to almost plague proportions along the coast, taking advantage of removal of foxes and lush green lawns and shelter under houses and sheds, which have replaced native grassland.

Rabbits dig, eat seedlings and other small plants, nourish soils which benefits weeds, ringbark shrubs and contribute to erosion and the spread of weeds. Weed control, restoration and revegetation efforts are ineffective while rabbits continue to flourish. 

Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Coastcare Group is also running a RabbitScan online citizen science training session on Tuesday, 13 July at 6.30 pm, so locals can map and monitor rabbits under and around their homes.

Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Coastcare Group is working in partnership with Phillip Island Landcare, as part of the winter 2021 Phillip Island Coastcare Blitz education and planting days funded by Coastcare Victoria. Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Coastcare Group also holds monthly working bees with Phillip Island Nature Parks to restore land eroded by rabbits.  

“We hope to inspire, engage, educate and facilitate community action for a Rabbit Free Phillip Island,” Gayle said.

The field day and RabbitScan training session are free but residents should register at julyblitzpi@gmail.com.  Further details can be found at phillipislandlandcare.org.au